One More Prison
by LE McMurray
Summary: While in a Gould Prison Jack and Daniel talk.


Author's Notes:- Thanks To Stonedtoad for betaing.

I just started writing and this appeared in front of me.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

"Is it me or do all these prisons look alike?" Daniel asked as he paced.

"Aren't we in a thoughtful mood?" Jack asked throwing the ball against the wall.

Daniel sighed, "I guess we should be used to this now."

"Daniel, just sit down and relax," Jack told him softly, "It'll be alright."

Daniel threw him an incredulous look, "I hate to point this out but we're in a Gould prison with about a hundred Jaffa at the door all looking forward to killing us. Not to mention whatever Gould is in charge who'll probably decide that they have two members of the SGC and it would be a good idea to stick a snake in our heads."

Jack frowned at Daniel's agitation. He knew the kid was upset but this wasn't the time to lose their heads, that and he'd seen Jacob just before they'd ended up in here.

He was worried about Daniel just now. After the meeting with Shifu a few weeks ago he'd shifted gears into pensive mood and basically refused to talk to them. Maybe he hadn't exactly helped with the crack about the kid's conception.

Jack wished Daniel would open up and talk about it but that obviously wasn't going to happen especially at the moment. Daniel'd had a rough few months lately. After managing to get through the anniversary of 'her' death his ex-girlfriend became a Gould almost killing him. Then Shifu made his appearance.

Jack watched the younger man and suddenly noticed how much older Daniel looked than he ever had. If he had the power he'd time-travel back to when Daniel went running in to face Ammonet, go instead of Teal'c, shoot her through the shoulder, drag her through the Hammer and give Daniel back the one thing that could make him happy.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do we bother?"

Uh oh, Jack thought, that coming from Daniel is not a good thing.

"Daniel, this is important what we do," he told his friend.

"Is it?"

Jack looked at him, "What's brought this on?"

"We fight. We get captured by Goulds and escape but are we doing any good?" Daniel asked, "I mean, look at all the innocent people who've died because of us. Because of me."

Dammit, Jack winced silently, when Daniel Jackson the man who believed in what they were doing with all his heart, soul and spirit started questioning it they had problems.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, "Because of you?"

"I opened the Gate," Daniel snapped, "I worked it out. I then unburied it on Abydos so I could show off to you. So I could let you know you'd done the right thing letting me stay. If I hadn't I wouldn't have…."

He trailed off and slumped to the ground pulling his knees to his chest.

That was it, Jack sighed wishing he knew how to help.

"Daniel, you do know that Carter would have worked it out," Jack said, "You saw it in the alternate reality."

Daniel nodded slightly.

"So," Jack continued, "You opened it probably a few years earlier than they ever did. And we managed to save a whole world from enslavement."

"I guess."

Jack frowned; time to hit him with the big guns.

"Would you rather never have met Sha're?"

Daniel's head came up sharply anger in his eyes, "Of course not."

"Then tell me how it is a bad thing you opened the Stargate the first time?" Jack challenged.

"Because I lost her," Daniel whispered.

"And if you hadn't opened it the first time you'd never have had the time you had with her," Jack said, "What about Kasuf and Skaara? They both care about you."

Daniel stared at his friend but couldn't answer.

"This is about Shifu," Jack finally broached the subject, "What he showed you."

"NO!!" Daniel cried, "It's not about what he showed me. I know what that was. It's…it's…"

"What Daniel?"

"He should have been mine," Daniel snapped, "Dammit Jack, he should be my son."

"He is," Jack said softly, "In every way he is."

"Except the most important," Daniel replied angrily.

Jack licked his lips nervously, "Daniel, you brought him into the world. You looked after him, you made sure he was in the safest place imaginable and you love him. In every way you're his Father."

Daniel opened his mouth to object.

"I know plenty of kids whose Fathers aren't the ones who got the mothers pregnant," Jack kept going, "Apophis may have…you know but he doesn't love Shifu. You do."

Daniel stared at the wall for a while, "When he was born I held him in my arms. I remember feeling overjoyed that it was a boy cause for a second it was this dream that he was ours then the Gould reappeared and I realised."

Jack gave a sad smile but didn't say a word.

"When I found him on Kheb," Daniel continued, "I picked him up and he grabbed a fistful of my shirt. His eyes were so like hers and I just didn't want to let him go. I didn't want to let him go the last time either."

"When you were…sleeping I asked Shifu what he was doing to you," Jack said, "The kid looked at me and you're right he does have her eyes, he told me that you needed to learn this."

"I demanded to know if he was hurting you. Want to know what he said?"

Daniel nodded.

"He said that he could never hurt his father," Jack smiled, "He may not have called you that to your face but he said it to me. I think he was afraid to say it to you in case you didn't accept it or accept him that way."

Tears filled Daniel's eyes, "I never told him that I loved him, no matter what."

"I think he knew Danny," Jack told him, "He is an intelligent kid. Like his parents."

Daniel smiled before frowning, "So how are we getting out of here?"


End file.
